Armstrong County hospital announces affiliation agreement with Punxsy, IRMC network
ARMSTRONG COUNTY — Pennsylvania Mountains Care Network announced that a definitive agreement has been signed with Armstrong County Memorial Hospital. Both boards have now voted in favor of the move to expand the network.
PMCN now includes Indiana Regional Medical Center, Punxsutawney Area Hospital and, following regulatory and third-party approvals, ACMH.
“This affiliation will help to preserve, enhance and provide quality healthcare for patients in the multicounty service area for all three hospitals,” the hospitals said in a news release. “It will also create synergies, cost-efficiencies and sustainability for the well-run organizations.”
After closing, individuals from all three communities will sit on the boards of PMCN — while an IRMC, PAH and ACMH combined executive management team will represent the common interests of these rural communities for the long term.
The hospitals will retain their local identities and operate as three separate nonprofit corporations, with three separately licensed community hospitals.
While there will be some sharing of human resources for the benefit of respective patient communities, each hospital will retain its existing medical and nursing staffs, employees, volunteers and community connections.
IRMC President and
CEO Stephen Wolfe will also serve as the president and CEO of PMCN, with ACMH Chief Executive Officer Nichole Geraci, continuing to serve in that capacity at ACMH.
PMCN was formed in 2015 as the parent company of IRMC and PAH, as the facilities explored opportunities to more closely integrate in an increasingly challenging health care marketplace. A letter of intent to explore affiliation opportunities was signed by ACMH in October 2023.